


Not Quite Gone

by FictionalDragonMother



Series: Heroes of Light [2]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: Autobot Sam, Dad mode Optimus Prime, Guardian Bumblebee, He doesn't really know what to do, Hurt Sam, Poor boy someone save him from the torment i'm gonna put him through, Protective Autobots, Sam Whump, Sparkling Ocs - Freeform, The Allspark is in Sam, Transformer Sparklings, Transformers Spark Bonds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-04-03 20:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 9,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14003739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionalDragonMother/pseuds/FictionalDragonMother
Summary: After the events of Mission City, Sam's parents decide to leave to go on a surprise remote camping trip and drag Sam along. They also decide that he won't be able to bring his phone. So when weird things begin to happen to his body, Sam finds himself struggling to appear fine until he can go back home. Too bad the universe hates him.Meanwhile, the Autobots find themselves missing Sam. Bumblebee wonders what he did to Sam that pissed him off so much that he won't even call him. But when Mikaela reveals that she hasn't seen or been able to contact Sam, the Autobots begin to worry.





	1. Surprise! We're going camping!

Sam's eyes were trained on the sky, watching the clouds. The car hit a bump, and he was snapped out of his daydream. He remembered where he was and sighed. It had only been one day after the events of Mission City. He had been resting at home, trying on some gloves to hide the still painful wounds on his hands, when his parents had burst into his room and told him to pack. They then announced that they were going on a surprise family camping trip, and that he was being forced to go along. Without his phone. He had tried to argue, but in the end his parents had won.

So here he was now, stuck in a car that was not Bumblebee and absolutely miserable. 

The car hit another bump, and his right hand whacked into the car door. Sam hissed quietly. The wounds on his hands were still raw and blistered, and they weren't showing any signs of healing. He pulled up the edge of one of his gloves and winced. Blood had soaked through the bandages, and he couldn't change them without risking revealing his injuries. He couldn't risk having to explain to his parents how he got them.

He turned back to the window and laid his head down on his folded arms, looking up at the clouds. One was shaped somewhat like a bumblebee. Sam sighed sadly and closed his eyes, forehead hitting the dusty glass.

 

 

Bumblebee paced around the base, antenna flicking absentmindedly. Sam, it seemed, was ignoring him. The boy would not respond to his calls, and didn't seem to be home. He knew that Sam was most likely resting after the Mission City battle, but he figured that Sam would at least talk to him over the phone. He was Sam's guardian now, and he wanted to make sure that his charge was healing properly. The poor human had been tossed around so much the last few days, it was a miracle he wasn't more banged up.

He connected to Sam's phone again, hoping that this time would be different from the 15 previous tries.

... So maybe he was being a little extreme, but he couldn't help it! Sam was part of their family now, small as it was, and Cybertronians were fiercely protective of their families.

The phone rang a few more times, before going to voicemail. Bumblebee vented softly. Why wasn't Sam picking up? Was he sleeping? The ringtone Sam had picked out for him should have woken him up. It was an extremely loud version of the beginning of a human film called "The Bee Movie." Sam had said he would change it to something calmer when he returned to school.

"Bee, are you still pacing? You know the doc said to rest, and pacing isn't going to help anything."

The gruff voice was instantly recognisable.

"Hi Ironhide. I know it isn't helping but i can't help it! He's not responding to any of my calls, and i haven't seen him around his house lately. Im getting worried." he said sadly.

Ironhide rolled his optics. "You sound like a 'clingy girlfriend', as Sam would say. Look, Mikaela is coming to visit in a few days, ask her how Sam is doing. Now come on, Will is here with his new human sparkling. He's going to introduce us." the weapon specialist said, walking out of the room. 

Bumblebee perked up a little and followed him, eager to meet the newest member of Will's family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry in advance, i haven't seen any transformers movie recently, aside from the first one. Although this fic doesn't follow those storylines, so maybe i'll be okay.


	2. Missing

"We're here!"

Sam jolted awake at the sound of his father's voice, snapping out of his dream.

It had been a nice dream too. In it he and Bumblebee had driven through a huge pine forest filled with mythical creatures. The odd thing was that all the creatures had appeared mechanical, almost like Cybertronians. 

The teen sighed and got out. He looked down in surprise when he heard pine needles crunch under his boot. His parents had refused to tell him where they were going, but he had thought they were going to some cheap campsite near home. He had no idea where this was.

How long had he been asleep?

"Uh, Mom, Dad? Where exactly are we?" He asked, looking around.

His dad took a deep breath in. "Canada, son. We are in the great Canadian Boreal Forest." he said, grinning. 

Sam blanched. Canada?! It was bad enough that he hadn't even been able to contact the bots to tell them he was leaving, now he was far enough away that if a Decepticon attacked, he had no chance of finding a phone to contact them with. Ratchet had talked about a tracking chip, but he held off until Sam was fully healed.

Sam really wished he had put it in.

\-----------------------------------------------------A few hours later-----------------------------------------------------

Sam huffed, sweat dripping down his brow. He had spent the last few hours helping his parents set up the camp. He might not like his current situation, but he didn't want to make it worse by not having everything ready by nightfall. 

He placed the wood he was holding down, hands stinging like he had touched hot metal. He spared a quick glance at them to insure that no blood was dripping out. All seemed fine, despite the pain in his hands and other parts of his body. He had quite a few cuts on his back from all the broken glass and other debris. He was supposed to go see Ratchet tomorrow about them.

'Sorry Ratch, looks like i'm gonna miss my appointment.' he thought guilty.

 

 

Bumblebee watched as Ironhide was given Annabelle to hold. The war scarred mech melted when the baby was placed in his servo, a cushy blanket and pillow protecting her. The infant gave a toothless smile as she gurgled at Ironhide, tiny fists swinging around happily.

He couldn't hold back a small chuckle as Ironhide allowed a goofy smile grace his face. The tiny baby squealed and laughed, kicking her tiny legs. Will and Sarah smiled as well, glad that their daughter wasn't afraid of the black mech. 

A small, consistent tapping noise caught his attention. He turned his head, looking towards Ratchet. The almost lime green medic was tapping his fingers on a railing absentmindedly. He only did this when he was worried about something.

"Ratchet, you okay?" Bumblebee asked, walking over to him.

The medic sighed. "Sam is suppose to come in for an appointment tomorrow. Im worried about him, he appeared fine, but i know that he couldn't have gotten out of that battle unscathed. Im glad he agreed to come and see me but..." he trailed off. 

Bumblebee nodded in understanding. He had wanted to pick up Sam and force the boy to go see Ratchet, but Sam had insisted on going home, wanting to see his family. Bee had relented only because he himself had been injured to the point where he was base bound. He had been healing nicely, but he still wasn't allowed out. 

He should have refused. He was Sam's guardian! The boy had been injured! They needed to know how bad! He winced slightly, remembering the distinct crunching sound of Sam hitting Optimus's foot. Sam had been through so much, and while he deserved rest, it should be here, where they could monitor him. But the logical side of him knew that keeping him here would mean having to reveal themselves to Sam's parents. Primus knows they would try to keep Sam away from them.

He felt his spark twinge at the thought of being forced away from Sam. He wouldn't be able to take it. He wouldn't allow anyone to take his charge away, even if it was Sam's parents.

'Could they have had something to do with Sam's absence?' he thought to himself.

Come to think of it, he hadn't seen any member of the Witwicky family, not even their chihuahua. Had they moved away? Had something happened?

'No. Sam would have told me... right?' he pondered, growing worried all over again.

"Bumblebee, are you okay? Your stress levels have spiked." Ratchet asked, placing a comforting hand on Bumblebee's shoulder. 

"Ratchet, what if Sam moved away because he decided he didn't want to be around us anymore? Maybe that's why i can't contact him and why i haven't seen him or his family around." he said sadly.

Ratchet's brow furrowed. "You can't contact him? Odd..." he stopped talking as a truck pulled into the hanger, Mikaela stepping out.

"Mikaela! You're early." Ratchet said, kneeling down to offer his hand to step onto. 

Mikaela stepped on, gripping onto a grove in the mech's palm as he lifted her up. The girl smiled up at the two Autobots.

"Hey guys! Yeah i know im early, but i wanted to ask you something." she said, her smile being replaced by a concerned look. 

Bumblebee and Ratchet looked at each other. Ironhide looked over as well, handing little Annabelle back to her mother. 

"Have you guys seen Sam? He's not at home, neither is his family, and he won't answer my calls." she said.

Bumblebee's spark flared in panic. Sam definitely would have told Mikaela if he was moving. Something had to be wrong.

"No Mikaela, we haven't. We were hoping you had." Ratchet said, concern dripping into his voice. 

Bumblebee flicked on his comlink, broadcasting it to the others. 

:Somethings wrong. Sam would have told Mikaela if he was going somewhere. Optimus, what do we do?: he asked, doors twitching anxiously.

:I will go with Mikaela to investigate Sam's home. If there is signs of struggle, then i will alert N.E.S.T. and authorize a search. Sam sustained much damage, and i fear he may sustain more if something has indeed happened.: Optimus answered.

:Well we need to hurry. I recently began researching human health, and they are even more fragile than i imagined. Wounds can get infected and cause fatal illnesses, that fall onto your foot, Optimus, probably caused some internal damage. Factor in being tossed around and squeezed by Megatron, the stress put on his body from the harmful environments he was exposed to, pushing the ALLSPARK into Megatron's spark, which no doubt caused some burns, PLUS the elevated heat from this area, means that there may be more wrong with him then i had even begun to imagine.: Ratchet explained, voice stressed.

Noises erupted across the com line. Angry and worried beeping from Bumblebee, a low whine from Optimus, and a loud engine rev from Ironhide. 

 

Optimus shifted into his alt form. He wanted to get to Sam's house as fast as possible. Now he had been worried before, but he had pushed those feelings back. It was in a Prime's nature to be protective, and those instincts only grew when it came to younglings. But he had tried to ignore them, reasoning that Sam was at home resting. But now he knew that Sam wasn't at home resting, he was missing and hurt. Hurt because they, HE, had dragged him into this war. He had injured his youngling, and his spark was screaming at him because of it.

'He's not your youngling!' the logical side of his processor argued. But he wasn't really listening to that part right now. 

He rolled into the hanger and pulled to a stop beside Mikaela, who had been told the plan by Ratchet. The girl hopped in, and the two sped away towards Sam's home.


	3. Sam's house

Cold.

That's all Sam felt. The thick blankets he had cocooned himself in seemed to be as thin and useless as wet paper against the howling wind. It slashed and cut at him, battering the tent. He could feel the cold, stiff ground through his sleeping bag, and he groaned. Cold sweat sat uncomfortably on his brow, and a shaking cough bounced around inside his chest, trapped by his battered ribs.

He shivered violently, from the cold, and from the fear he felt. He was having a nightmare. Megatron was slowly pulling out his insides, laughing. He gasped and shot up, body quivering. His breaths came in hoarse gasps, and he felt like he couldn't breathe. After what had probably only been a minute, it felt like hours, oxygen found its way into Sam's lungs, filling them.

Sam coughed, pain flaring in his chest. He closed his eyes and shoved his face into his elbow. Had his eyes been open, he might have caught the small flicker of blue lightning that jumped between his fingers. He hissed between coughs at the hot pain in his hands, like someone had slashed his palms over and over with a electrified knife. After he finished coughing, he looked at his hands, horrified to see blood seeping through the bandages. Dammit. Now, he could clean the wounds, but if this kept up he would run out of bandages.

He sighed miserably and began unwrapping the bandages, cursing the Allspark and Megatron.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Optimus parked a block away from Sam's house, trying to appear as normal as possible. Mikaela jumped as a man suddenly fizzled into existence beside her. He was fairly buff, appearing to be in his mid forties. He had bright blue eyes and pale skin and black hair, tinged with silver. His bangs were dyed blue and red, bright and colourful. He was wearing a red and blue flannel jacket and black jeans, a dark grey Autobot insignia printed on each side. 

"Classy. Okay, let's go." Mikaela said, slipping out of Optimus's alt form. Optimus, or, at least, his holoform, jumped out as well. The two swiftly made their way to Sam's house. Mikaela strode up to the door, avoiding the grass. Optimus cast a sad glance at where the bird bath had once been. They really should get Sam's father a replacement. He followed the girl up to Sam's door. Mikaela knocked. 

"Sam? It's me, Mikaela. Are you there? Everyone is really worried... are you okay? Did something happen? Hello?" she said, knocking again.

After a few minutes of silence, Mikaela cursed. 

"Okay, that's it. SAM, IF YOU'RE IN THERE, WE'RE COMING IN!" she shouted.

She produced a small gold key from her pocket. A small 'click' was heard as she unlocked the door. It creaked open, and Mikaela and Optimus stepped inside. 

The house was empty. No noise was heard, aside from their own footsteps and Mikaela's breathing. The two looked at each other before splitting up, Optimus searching the first floor while Mikaela made her way upstairs.

Mikaela peeked her head into Sam's room. Empty. She stepped in fully and began searching for signs that Sam had been kidnapped. Nothing seemed out of place, but a few of his drawers were open. A lot of clothes were missing. She turned toward his bed, and was surprised to see his phone laying on the bed. She turned it on, and saw that none of the messages had even been read, or the voicemails listened to.

'So he's not just ignoring us, and nothing is destroyed, so where is he?' 

She left the room, closing the door gently. She quickly checked the other rooms, but found nothing. She went back downstairs, seeing Optimus exit the kitchen.

"Find anything?" he asked, a tinge of hopefulness seeping into his voice.

Mikaela shook her head. 

"No. Some clothes are gone, but his phone is still here. There's no sign of a break in, but he hasn't seen any of the messages Bee and i sent him. I don't know what's going on and it's really freaking me out Optimus!" she said, voice wavering.

Optimus placed a comforting hand on the girl's back. Mikaela turned and hugged the holoform. Optimus blinked in surprise before returning the hug, rubbing her back soothingly. It was a common thing for cybertronians to comfort their close friends and loved ones through light rubs and pats, as it displayed trust. Trust that one wasn't going to harm the other. It then occurred to Optimus that none of them had really gotten the chance to really interact with Sam yet. Bumblebee had begun marking the boy, just through light touches and a quick nuzzle or two, but it wasn't enough to solidify the bond the two shared.

He wondered, suddenly, that if Bumblebee and Sam had established some sort of bond, that pulling them apart during the fragile imprinting stages could cause some real damage, emotionally, mentally and physically. Especially for Sam.

A shudder ran through him, piercing his spark. They needed to find Sam. Now.

It was time for a little back up.


	4. People suck sometimes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam's parents react so well to freaky alien stuff.

Sam woke up sweating, his hands burning even more than before. The pain had advanced slightly above his wrists. Groaning, he sat up, stomach churning. He began pulling back the gloves when he froze. About half way down his fingers was some kind of shimmering metal. It blended perfectly with his skin, encroaching about a quarter of a millimeter further every second. A quick check revealed that the same was happening to his other hand.

"Oh fuck me." Sam whispered fearfully.

That settled it. He needed to go to a hospital right the fuck now. As quickly as his stomach permitted, he exited his tent. His father was cooking a sausage over the fire. The smell made his insides churn most unpleasantly. His weakened stomach flipped and heaved, and seconds later he found himself retching into a nearby bush. It kept going until nothing was left.

"Jesus boy! When did you get so sick?!" His father exclaimed.

Sam just shook slightly, staring down at the blood filled vomit pooling underneath an unfortunate rasberry bush. He shook his head stepped back, clutching his vacant stomach.

His mother came out and pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. She pulled it back seconds later.

"Goodness gracious Sammy! You're burning up!" She said worriedly.

Sam swayed slightly, head drooped. His mother led him towards the car.

"Ron, im taking him home. He needs bed rest." She declared, clutching his arm.

'I think i need more than that.' Sam thought numbly.

As they walked, one of Sam's gloves slipped off silently. As they approached the car's doors, Sam reached for the door handle.

Sparks exploded in a brilliant blue light as Sam and his mother were thrown back. Sam hit a large pine with a solid 'WHACK.' Pain seeped into is back, neck and tailbone. His arm bones felt like they were breaking into a million pieces. Looking down weakly, he saw that the grey metal had completely enveloped his arms, yet his palms still burned. 

The car still crackled with energy, small snaps of electricity bouncing around. Beside him, his mother sat, completely still.

"Mom, are you okay?!" he asked weakly, voice hoarse.

His mother said nothing, just gasping for breath. Her eyes were wide, and she was trembling. His father ran over to her. 

"Judy! Sam! Christ are you two alright?!" he shouted, crouching next to his wife.

Finally, his mother seemed to catch her breath.

"S-sammy, what's wrong with your arm?" she asked in a quivering voice.

Sam glanced at his arm again, struggling to explain. 

"I don't really kn-"

"Is that why there was electricity everywhere?! We could have died Sammy!" Judy yelled, tears in her eyes.

Sam tried forming words, but he was so overwhelmed that it was hard. Suddenly, his parents screamed. He whirled around, expecting to see a Decepticon, when his parents screamed again. He turned back to them. They had retreated a few meters back. There was nothing there.

Nothing, except him. 

"Mom, Dad, come on. I'm your son, you don't need to be afraid of me!" he tried, reaching one arm out.

They backed up again. He took a step forward, jumping back almost immediately when his father started screaming at him.

"GET BACK! YOU ARE NOT MY SON, YOU'RE SOME KIND OF ALIEN MONSTER!" he shouted, picking up a rock.

"GET OUT OF HERE, FREAK!" 

Sam didn't have time to duck as a fairly large rock was lobbed at his already sore head. It struck him in the side of his head, making a gash where it had hit. Sam stumbled back, crying out in pain. Red blood speckled with blue flecks gushed out, running over his left eye. He didn't stop to plead when his father picked up another rock, he just turned and ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello yes i am alive, at least until exams ,0w0,


	5. Ring ring, it's Sam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quick chap before summer vacation!

Will sighed as he signed off the com. N.E.S.T didn't know where Sam was either. They didn't have time for this!

"Why." He muttered softly, leaning against Ironhide's dashboard. "Why was he just allowed to go home unchecked? Who allowed that 'Hide?" He asked, not really expecting an answer.

Hide didn't provide one. What could he say? He just revved his engine in frustration. When they found the kid, he was NEVER leaving the base again.

Sam slowed to a limp, half gasping for breath and half sobbing. Tears streaked down his face as the early morning wind made them almost freeze to his face, or at least that's how it felt. Blood flowed down, dripping onto his clothes and onto the ground. Sam could feel every single wound on his body, and there were many.  
Stopping, Sam leaned into a tree, feeling a light downpour wash over him.

His mind was reeling, unable to understand. How had this happened? A flare of pain in his palms drew his attention downwards. Blue liquid dripped from his hands, his burns emanating a glowing pale green light. Sam stared at his palms, his eyes wide.

"Oh Jesus fuck." He muttered, body stiffening.

He couldn't go to a hospital. Who knows what they would do to him. No. He needed to get back to base. Back home, to Bumblebee.

"Oh god, Bumblebee!" He shouted.

He had completely forgotten! Bumblebee and the other Autobots had no idea where he was! Oh, he was going to be in so much trouble...

Sam trudged on, the forest becoming dark as the rain increased. He stumbled forward, foot nearly catching on a root. Something deep inside his chest stirred slightly, leading him like a compass. Sam sighed and hugged himself. It would be a long walk.

It was dark when Sam finally found his way out of the woods and into civilization. He hadn't stopped walking the whole time, just barely staying conscious. He slowly shuffled over to a dimly lit phone booth. Stepping inside, he collapsed against the dingy glass sides. Blood smeared the surface as Sam slid down, resting his head.

After a minute or so, he heaved himself up, stumbling as he did so. Sam fished some cash out, putting it into the well used machine. He quickly dialed Lennox's number, seeing darkness creep into his vision.

Lennox jolted awake at the sound of his phone ringing. He groaned and sat up, leaning against the soft leather of Ironhide's seats. His hands fumbled sleepily for his phone. He raised it to his ear and pressed accept.

"Mnrhh hello? This better be important..." He muttered, stifling a yawn.

"Sorry if i woke you Lennox, but i could really use some help." A voice said, sounding weak and static like.

Lennox flew up, suddenly very awake. Ironhide screeched to a halt, already tracking the call and alerting the others.

"SAM?! JESUS KID WHERE DID YOU GO?!" He yelled.

Sam seemed to try to answer, but he was cut off by a horrifying coughing fit. Sam was wheezing for breath when he was done.

"Will, i've got the phone signal. He's in a small town about a mile away from the Boreal forest." Ironhide said, spinning and driving North, going as fast as he dared.

Lennox breathed out a sharp breath. That would take them a while.

"Okay, listen kid. We are coming to get you. Try and stay warm and conscious." He said, quickly alerting the others out searching to head back to base.

Sam coughed weakly this time. "Sorry Lennox, but I can't. Just one more thing before i pass out, please don't take me to a hospital, they can't help me now." Sam said, voice fading at the end.


	6. Found Sam, but get the med bay ready!

Lennox yelped as Ironhide flew over a hill, slamming back down onto the asphalt. The autobot was racing down the near pitch-black road, definitely breaking the speed limit. The few dim street lamps that were scattered around the small town only slightly illuminated the worn road, but it was just enough light to allow Lennox to see a crumpled form inside a phone booth.

“THERE!” He shouted, leaning out the window.

Ironhide spun, tires screeching. He sped towards the phonebooth, nearly crashing into it. Lennox jumped out, sprinting the last few meters. He jumped back when blue sparks jumped and snapped at him, flickering and flashing in the darkness. Ironhide transformed beside him, crouching down. His blue optics were wide.

Sam looked terrible. Red blood mixed with an electric blue liquid. Black metal covered both his arms and was spreading to his face. Blue sparks and bolts of electricity jumped around his slumped, trembling form. Dried blood was caked around a gash on his head, a strange maroon colour. 

“Oh Sam… what happened to you?” Lennox whispered.

Ironhide went to gently scoop Sam up, ignoring the way the blue sparks angrily snapped and fizzed as his hand neared the unconscious teen. Even in the summer, the area in and around the Boreal Forest got cold, especially at night.  
The sparks, surprisingly, ceased once Sam was in Ironhide’s hand. The mech shivered, feeling a chill race through him. Pain blossomed in his spark, cold and fresh. Sam shivered as well, face contorting into one of discomfort and fear. Ironhide frowned and transformed back into his vehicle mode, opening the door for Lennox, who promptly hopped in.

Ironhide sent a message to the others, speeding back to base. He had to turn down his com’s volume when Bumblebee’s frantic beeping assaulted his audio receptors. The smaller mech had been tearing up the country looking for Sam, which Ironhide could understand. Sam was Bumblebee’s. His boy, his friend and his charge. If Lennox had suddenly disappeared when he was injured, he would have done the same thing.

He sped up when he felt Sam shiver again, this time because of the cold. The human snuggled into his seat, so close that Ironhide could feel his alarmingly weak heartbeat. Humans, despite being very resilient, were nowhere near as durable as Cybertronians. It didn’t take a genius to see that Sam wouldn’t make it unless he got help. Fast.

: Ratchet get the med bay ready. Clear any organics out of the room. And for Primus’s sake don’t let Optimus or Bumblebee see Sam! I’m not sure how they would take seeing him like this.:


	7. Welcome to The Inbetween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam diddly dies, goes to purgatory, and meets grandpappy prime. Meanwhile, back on earth, Lennox is hella sadmad, Ironhide is hella sad, and Ratchet is afraid of the inevitable Bumblerage and DadPrime

When Sam awoke, the first thing that greeted him was a black leather seat. He felt immense pain, and a burning feeling in his chest. He made a small, pained whimper when he felt his body being even slightly jostled. Somehow, his fragmented mind managed to piece together that he was inside Ironhide, although Lennox shaking him might have had something to do with that. The man was yelling at him about something, but… he couldn’t hear anything. He tried reading his lips, but that only made his head hurt. He felt a wave of tiredness and numbness wash over him, and he realised too late that Lennox was yelling at him to stay awake. He tried to stay awake, going so far as to claw his arms, which didn’t feel like his own, but it wasn’t enough. His body was done. It didn’t have any more fight left in it. He really wished he could have stayed awake long enough to apologize to Lennox when he saw the desperate look on his face as he screamed something that Sam still couldn’t hear…

“Sam? Sam! Don’t you dare die on me kid!” Lennox yelled, desperately trying to get the teen to just open his damn eyes. He could feel Ironhide begin to shake slightly as Sam’s heart beat slowed, its weak beats becoming stiller and quieter with every passing moment.

“No. No no no no. Come on kid, come on!” He whispered, starting to preform CPR even though at the back of his mind he knew it was too late.

“What are you DOING?! Do you WANT his chest to cave in?!” Ironhide snarled, his spark churning.

“I’m preforming CPR! I need to jumpstart his heart!” Lennox spat back, not bothering to turn away from his task.

Ironhide forced himself to go faster, feeling his engine and wheels start to heat up. He nearly crashed when he felt Sam’s fragile heartbeat stop completely, feeling as though some sort of bond had been brutally severed. His spark keened in despair, flickering sadly. It made his tanks flip and a sense of despair invade his system. Sam, tiny, kind Sam, who had risked his life to help them, had just died inside his cab. It left a cold, heavy feeling in his spark.

“Will. Will he’s… he’s gone. There is nothing more you can do.” He said, his voice low.

Lennox stopped pushing on the teen’s chest only for a moment, before resuming once again.

“No. The human body can survive at least 4 minutes after the heart has stopped beating. 15 in rare cases.” He said, his tone revealing his determination.

Ironhide rumbled sadly, unsure of how to explain.

“No Will, he’s gone. Like gone gone. I, I can’t feel his soul anymore Lennox, Cybertronians can sense that sort of thing.” He explained.

Lennox froze, looking at Ironhide’s dashboard. The mech’s voice had sounded so sad, that Lennox was convinced that he couldn’t be lying. Slowly, he sat back, covering his face with his hands. One of the worst feelings in the world was watching someone die in your arms and knowing that if you’d got to them faster, they probably would have lived. Why. WHY did it have to be Sam? He was still just a kid, and yet he had been forced to grow up so fast. He couldn’t even fathom the fact that he would have to tell the kid’s parents- “

His thoughts stopped as he came to the horrifying realization that Sam’s parents weren’t the only guardians he’d have to face.

“Hide, how the hell are we going to tell Prime and Bumblebee?”

When they had returned to base, Ratchet had immediately pulled them into the med bay, bringing them to a surgical table.

“Quick, hand me Sam, who knows how bad the external bleeding is!” The medic demanded, already stress pacing.

“Ratchet…”

“Not to mention the internal, oh Primus I can only think of what sort of damage was caused by him hitting Optimus’s pede!” He continued, not even hearing Ironhide.

“Ratchet.”

“Do you know how hard it was to get Optimus to back off? Let alone stop Bumblebee? I had to threaten them with forcibly induced stasis! They are so protective over S-“

“RATCHET!” Ironhide yelled, revving his engine.

The medic stopped, surprised by Ironhide’s sharp tone. His optic’s widened when he felt the weapon specialist’s grief filled field.

“Irohide… where is Sam?” He questioned quietly, almost afraid of the answer he would get.

Ironhide let out a tired sigh and opened his driver door, allowing Lennox to slowly get out, clutching Sam’s unmoving form to his chest.

“That’s… what I was trying to tell you doc. Sam… died on the way here. His injuries were too severe.” He said sadly, transforming into his bipedal form.

Ratchet blinked slowly, before collapsing backwards, leaning on the wall for support. Sam, the human who had killed Megatron, was dead? It didn’t seem possible. And yet, there he was, lifeless and still. It hurt just to look at the boy. He bowed his head, not even looking up when he felt Ironhide grip his shoulder.

“Lennox, please lay Sam down on the operating table. I’m sorry to say this, but it would be best if you left the med bay for a bit. Things are going to get… ugly when Bumblebee finds out what happened, and I don’t want to risk losing you too.” He said quietly, bracing himself for the scrap storm he knew was coming.

Lennox gritted his teeth but nodded. He didn’t want to leave Sam just yet, but he also could see what Ratchet was saying. He did NOT want to be on the receiving end of Bumblebee’s fury.

After he left, Ratchet took a deep breath and opened the med bay doors.

Sam blinked, awakening. The first thing he noticed was how he wasn’t in any pain. The second was the towering white mech that was kneeling in front of him. He yelped and backed away, stumbling backwards. The white mech chuckled and smiled.

“Do not be afraid young one, nothing can hurt you here.” He said, his voice deep and kind.

Sam felt his fear leave him, being replaced with a sense of awe and deep respect, although he didn’t know why.

“P-pardon me sir, but… who are you? And, where are we?” He asked, wondering how on earth he had gotten to wherever he was.

“I am Prima, the first Prime, and Guardian of Freedom. This place is known as The Inbetween. A realm between the living world and the spirit one.” He explained, gesturing to the shimmering grey void.

Sam blanched, suddenly feeling very ill. “Am- am I dead? Did I die?!” He stammered out, poking his chest to see if he was still solid, and screamed when his hand passed through his chest.

The white mech gave him a sympathetic and understanding look.

“Not exactly little one. You are here because you are a very special case. Normally, you would have died from your injuries well before your friends found you, but since you have the last active remaining pieces of the AllSpark imbedded in your spark, you survived much longer. You are also here because we need your help.” He admitted, offering a hand to Sam.

Sam wearily stepped back, mind processing what he had just been told.

“Wait, I have what stuck in my what? I-I-I don’t have a SPARK! I’m human!” He cried.

Prima raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? You don’t look human to me.” He said in a knowing tone.

Sam’s face crinkled up in confusion. “What are you talking about.” He asked, his voice quiet.

Prima said nothing, but picked the small boy up and brought him to a small blue pond with a reflective surface. He placed Sam down and gently nudged him forward. Sam looked at Prima for a moment, before stepping over to the edge of the pond. In his reflection he saw not himself, but a white and green dragon with shimmering optics, one green, one gold. He gasped and looked down, seeing what Prima had meant. His hand was a shimmering white, hundreds of tiny, almost opalescent, metal scales covering it. Translucent green claws on his claw tips shone like sharp emeralds. Looking back at the ponds surface, he could see two light gold horns curving backwards, accented by twin smaller, light green horns just below them. His underbelly was armoured, gold scales protecting his spark. His wings were emerald green, just like his claws.

Sam turned to Prima, a horrified expression on his face.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!”


	8. Sam's Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam meets a new friend, and is told he must make a very important choice.

Prima looked shocked, and he stepped back slightly. He had not been expecting such a negative reaction. The small Predacon was shaking, shiny golden Energon tears forming in the corners of his optics and slipping down his faceplates. Scrap. He didn't know how to handle this!

"By Primus Prima, you are not good with Sparklings, are you?"

Prima turned around, a relived look on his face. Behind him, Sam's optics widened even farther. A swirling green portal had appeared, bringing with it a new Cybertronian. A femme, he somehow now knew. Large, metal, feathered wings folded behind her, like a silvery cape. Her optics met Sam's, and he saw that like his, they were two different colours. One green. One blue.

"SparkStarter. I'm so glad you are here. I need help." Prima admitted, rubbing the back of his neck cables.

SparkStarter rolled her optics and smiled. "I can see that. Give us a moment." She said softly.

The femme knelt in front of Sam, unfolding her wings and curving them, giving him a sheltered feeling.

"Hello Samuel Witwicky. My name is Spark Starter. I'm here to help you understand what's going on. And because Prima is terrible with younglings." She whispered the last part, winking.

Sam giggled softly, wiping away his tears. She offered a servo to him, and he climbed onto it. Standing, she waved one of her wings, and another green portal appeared. She cupped her servo and leapt through, landing in a much more welcoming place. She released him, and Sam found that there was almost no gravity in this place. It was a dark blue void, but gold and green sparks flew around him, illuminating the place and making it feel alive.

"What is this place?" He asked, looking around.

"This is your dreamscape Sam. A place outside of existence. It is also how I've been watching over you." SparkStarter said, flapping her wings lazily.

Sam cocked his head, and SparkStarter chuckled. She made a motion for him to follow her, and he did, propelling himself with his wings. She led him to a small shimmering pool, white in colour. She sat down and touched the pool, closing her optics.

"Show me Samuel Witwicky."

The pool rippled and changed, showing a birds-eye view of the Autobot med bay. Sam floated down and sucked in a breath when he saw his battered form. It was eerie, seeing yourself dead. He could hear very angry beeping and flinched back when he saw something being hurled. He nearly cried when he heard the broken voices of his Autobot friends, who were trying to restrain a raging BumbleBee.

"What, what is this? How am I seeing this, and why?" he whispered.

SparkStarter gave him a pitying smile. "That's you Sam. On Earth, you died. This place is like a sort of Purgatory at the moment. As for why... you need to make a choice Sam. A very, very important choice." She explained, looking him right in the optics.

"What choice?" Sam asked slowly.

"You must decide where you want to go. If you wish, you may continue on to eternal rest, letting go of any chance of returning to your mortal body, or, I can send you back." SparkStarter said, looking back at the pool.

Sam frowned. "There's more to this, isn't there?" He asked quietly.

The femme nodded.

"Sam, it is well within my power to send you back completely human, and fully healed, no strings attached. But, I, we, everyone, needs your help Sam. The multiverse is in grave danger, and it needs heroes. You are not the only one that this has happened to. Two other timelines in two different universes hold the other heroes. However, they are young, younger than yourself, and I fear that if you are not there to help them, they may not succeed. But, what I ask of you is no easy task, and I understand if you refuse. It is not your battle to fight." She said, bowing her head.

Sam looked back at the pool. Obviously, he wanted to go home and be normal, be human. He wanted his parents to love him again. He wanted to kiss Mikaela. He wanted his life back. Yet... if he didn't help, would it even matter? Would his entire world, his DIMENSION, be destroyed? Just because he was selfish? How many other worlds would crumble if these other heroes couldn't complete their mission? So many questions, and yet it seemed he already knew their answers.

"I...I..." he sucked in a deep breath and turned to face SparkStarter. "I want to help." He decided.

SparkStarter's optics lit up like Christmas lights. She hugged Sam, catching the poor teen off guard.

"Thank you, Sam. You have no idea how much this means to me, to everyone." She whispered.

He patted her back awkwardly, and she set him down, turning back to the pool. She began drawing symbols into the water that Sam couldn't even begin to comprehend. The pool glowed gold, golden sparks flying around it.

"So, how am I going to help if I'm stuck here?" He asked, catching one of the sparks. It bumped around in his paws, glowing softly.

"Oh, don't worry Sam, you won't be stuck here. I'm still going to send you back, just not as a human." She said, finishing her runes.

Sam looked at the pool, gazing at his broken form. It probably wouldn't be good to just suddenly appear as a metal dragon...

"Hey, SparkStarter? I'm kinda worried about just appearing there like... this." He said, gesturing to his new form.

The femme nodded. "If you wish, I can send you back in your human form, and give you the ability to switch between forms. That way, you don't need to reveal your new form until you feel ready." She offered, and Sam eagerly nodded.

SparkStarter chuckled and picked him up, holding him over the swirling pool.

"Goodbye Sam, and know that Primus is watching over you, young AllSpark~" She said, dropping the now very confused boy into the portal.

"Wait, what did you call meEEEE AHH!"

SparkStarter watched as he disappeared, a small smile on her face. "Be safe, young Warrior."

Suddenly, a cold feeling gripped her, and she stiffened, her feathers bristling. She turned, her faceplates turned downward into a fierce snarl and her wings raised, the tips of her feathers turning solid and sharp.

A dark shadow slithered out of nowhere, shifting and moving constantly. All the sparks close to the writhing mound of teeth and shadows were drained of their very energy and became grey wisps of smoke.

"T̴̨͏h̵̢a̷̡̨t͝ is̸ ̷yo̕͞u̷ŗ̢ ͠W͟҉a̴rr̵i͝ơ͜r̷̡?̷!҉̛ ̨P͟A͢͠T̴̡H̴͡͡E̵̢T͏I͝C҉͝!̛͠ ̡͜He̢͜ ̨w̶҉̵i̶͘l̸̸̢l̵͟ pe̵͟r̶i̕͡s͢h̡̢ ̸̶͝b͏̧e҉̨͝fore̢͜͞ ͏̶̨h͏̢e̢̡ ͏͏ev͘en h͞͡a̴͡s̢͢ ̨a ̴c҉h̶͠a̢̢͟n҉c͝͡e̸͠͝ ̛͠ţ͘͜o͟ r̴̕e̷c͝ov͡e̛r҉ ̛͞i̡̧͘n̷͜ ̶͘͞hi͢ş̨͜ ̧͘͡w̢̛͟e̸͘͡a̸͢͡k,̵͘ ̨̕us̸̸͘e҉͟͞l͡es̕s҉̵͡ ̛҉̨f͜ơ͝r̵̷m̷͘. ̶̶H͘o͟͞n̡̧͟e̛s͜t͢l̷̛y̢͘ ͞S͝pa̸r҉k͟S̡ţ̸a͞r̷t͟͟͞e̛͡r̴̸̕,͏ ͘͜I̡ ͘҉̵e̷x͠p̶͏͟ę͡c̕͡te҉̨d̸ ͏b̶͢͡e͜t͏͏te̡̕͠r̸͏ ̧̛f̢͝rom͢ ̨y̡o̡͝u҉."̵͢

"Malum! How dare you come into my realm? You know you hold no power here!" She snarled, bearing her teeth.

The mass of darkness only laughed as it faded away, all its teeth grinning at her as it did so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you were given the same choices Sam was, what would you choose to do?


	9. Wakey Wakey~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lamo suffer Sam

SparkStarter growled at the space where Malum had been. She gently cradled the destroyed world, watching sadly as it crumbled into dust. At least its inhabitants weren’t suffering-  
The femme dropped the remaining dust, her optics widening in sudden realization.  
“I FORGOT TO HEAL THE BOY!” 

 

At first, Sam thought it hadn’t worked, that he had gotten stuck in the void somehow. But as feeling slowly returned, he found that he could anchor himself to the living world.  
Then the pain came.  
The pain, oh Primus the pain. He gave a shuddering gasp as his lungs forced themselves to work, his body trying desperately to restart itself. He opened his eyes, only to be greeted by a stabbing light. He winced and grit his teeth, an action that had pain erupting in his jaw. When he opened his eyes again, the light didn’t try to assault his eyeballs, instead choosing to allow his vision to return to him. He could now hear and see Ironhide trying to restrain a thrashing Bumblebee. The yellow bot was crying, fat tears tinted with blue streamed down his faceplates. He was screaming in his staticky, still healing voice. He could make out his name and pleads for Ironhide to release him.  
Something stirred inside Sam, reaching towards his guardian. It met what felt like a spiky, electric wall, and Sam winced again, a silent whimper escaping his nearly unmoving form. He was still in very deep trouble, and he needed help. Now.   
Taking in a deep breath, he mentally prepared himself for what he had to do next. He slowly lifted his arm, straining against his screaming muscles. Hot, fiery pain was all he felt, but he knew that he might not get another chance at living. Curling his shaking hand into a weak fist, he closed his eyes and brought his fist down onto the metal table as hard as he could.   
The pain he felt was enough to make him pass out for a few seconds, but the desired effect was almost immediate. All optics in the room snapped to him, and in that brief moment of silence, Bumblebee broke out of Ironhide’s vise-like hold. 

“S-sam..? SAM!” Bumblebee cried, appearing suddenly beside the injured human. 

Sam gave him a weak smile as the spikey, electric wall went down, letting a whole flood of emotions wash in.

Worried. Relieved. Happy. Overwhelmed. Grateful. Desperate. Protective.

Next came Ironhide and Ratchet. Ironhide began apologizing for not getting to him faster and asking, “How the pit are you alive kid?!” over and over again. Ratchet was hooking all kinds of wires and tubes up to him, clicking and beeping in Cybertronian. Soon, he felt the pain leave his body as a sleepy feeling came over him. He blinked tiredly up at Bumblebee and shifted a smidge closer, trying to articulate what he wanted through what actions he could perform, seeing as how words were now beyond his foggy mind. His guardian crooned softly and gently pet his hair, his face so close that Sam could see all the tiny details in his blue optics. Sam leaned in closer, snuggling into Bumblebee’s cheek as he drifted into blissful unconsciousness.

 

Sam blinked awake, finding himself back in his dragon form. SparkStarter was floating in front of him, a sheepish look on her face. He glared at her.  
“What happened to sending me back completely healed?” He snapped.  
“I’m sorry little one, I got… distracted.” She hissed the last part, glaring at a corner of the sparkling void.

Sam quirked an eyebrow but said nothing. “So… am I dead again? Or is this just going to happen every time I fall asleep?”  
“No, you aren’t dead and no not every time. Only when I want to tell you something.”  
“What did you want to tell me?”  
“Sorry. For not healing you. Sorry for allowing you to suffer, even after you agreed to help…”  
SparkStarter trailed off, the ancient femme suddenly seeming very young. Her wings drooped, and her shoulders slumped as a guilt-ridden frown came over her face. Sam gave her a sympathetic smile.  
“Hey, its okay. I know you didn’t mean to not heal me. You gave me a chance to LIVE, and that is more than enough.” He assured, placing a shiny paw on her shoulder.  
SparkStarter smiled and patted his paw in silent thanks. A calm quiet came over the void.

 

“…Want to play marbles using dimensions?”  
“Hell yes!”


	10. Hospital

Sam blinked blearily, the last few wisps of sleep leaving him as he came back to the waking world. He was on a soft hospital bed, tubes and wires leading from his arm to a beeping machine by his bedside. A beam of sunlight filtered through the hospital curtains, causing him to wince. Looking over himself, he saw many bandages. The most obvious were the ones on his hands. They looked more like a cast than bandages, and he couldn’t fully close his hands.

Suddenly, he realised how very vulnerable and alone he was. He wanted to be near someone right now. He tried to sit up quickly but found that he couldn’t. A burst of pain punched him in the gut, causing him to cry out and freeze, trying not to move. After a few moments, his door opened, and a nurse came in.

“Easy there Sam, you’ll reopen your stitches if you aren’t careful.” She said, making sure that nothing had actually opened.

“Wh-wha? Who are you? Where am I?” He questioned.

‘Where’s Bumblebee?’

“I’m Nurse Diana Featherwill, and you are in Mount Sinai St. Luke's Hospital. You were in very bad shape when William brought you in. I was surprised that you weren’t dead Sam.”

Sam cocked his head, wincing when he felt his muscles protest.

“Wait, you know Lennox?” He asked. Diana nodded.

We’re old friends. Now! Let’s get some nutrients into you through something other than a tube! Do you want applesauce or stew?” She asked, walking out the door.

“S-stew please.” Sam stuttered, coughing.

Diana smiled and closed the door, leaving Sam alone once again.

 

 

It had been a few days since Sam had first awoke in the hospital, and Diana said that he could now have visitors. Lennox was the first one in. He had hugged Sam as hard as he could, (which was hardly at all) apologizing for everything, even though it wasn’t his fault. Sam had, of course, immediately forgiven him.

“Will, where’s Bee?” Sam asked quietly, coughing slightly.

“In the parking lot I believe. Him and the other Autobots wanted to see you, but they weren’t allowed. Something about not being able to keep their holoforms solid enough if they got too emotional. They were _not_ happy to hear that, lemme tell ya…” He trailed off, exhaling and rubbing the back of his head.

Sam twisted, ignoring the pain, towards the window. He pressed his face against the glass and scanned the parking lot. His eyes easily found the group of brightly coloured cars, side by side as they remained motionless. He could still see some scrapes and scratches, but they otherwise seemed okay.

“Can they see me? Or at least, like, scan me and know I’m here?” Sam asked, looking back at Lennox.

He shook his head and gently laid Sam back down, quickly looking for any blood.

“No kid. They tried before and ended up making almost every piece of hospital tech freak out. I’ve told them what I can about you, but… the hospital won’t let me see the full extent of the damage for some reason. I keep asking Diana, but she always tells me that it's better if I don’t know. I asked her why, but she won’t say. Kid… what happened the night we found you?” Lennox asked softly.

Sam tensed up, remembering everything he had been trying to forget. He turned his head and shivered, closing his eyes.

“I…I…” He quivered slightly, breathing heavy, “I think it’s better to wait until Diana gives you the information. I don’t think either you, me or anyone else is ready to see just what’s wrong with me. Because, truthfully? It’s bad. Really bad.” He whispered.

 

Lennox stared at Sam, mouth agape. His eyes found met Sam’s for a brief moment, and he swore, to any god above, Sam’s eye flashed gold, becoming for the briefest moment something otherworldly. Something inhuman.

Something _dangerous._


	11. Released

Sam strained to hear the argument going on outside his door. Diana and Lennox were arguing about something, but he couldn’t quite make out what it was about. After a few moments, the voices quieted, and the door swung open, revealing a grinning Lennox and a disgruntled Diana.

“Great news kid! I can take you outta here tomorrow!” He said excitedly.

Sam’s eyes lit up and a broad smile broke out across his face.

“Really?! Thank you, Lennox!” He said, tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

“Don’t thank me, thank Miss Grumpy over here.” Lennox sniggered, jacking a thumb towards Diana, who scrunched up her face in displeasure.

“Sam, you still need time to heal, so I am releasing you on ONE condition, you need to rest. Your body cannot handle stress and jerky movements right now. If you end up back here, I will strap you down mister!” She said sternly. Sam gulped and nodded, not doubting her for a second.

“Y-yes ma’am! Thank you, ma’am!” He said quickly, letting her and Lennox help him into the wheelchair.

 

Sam winced as the bright sunlight hit his face as he and Lennox entered the lobby. As they moved towards the entrance, Lennox leaned over near his ear.

_“Now, I just and I do mean just, brought up and then proceeded to win that argument with Nurse Grumpy, so the bots don’t know you’re getting released today, so don’t be alarmed if one of ‘em speeds off with ya. They really miss you kid. We all do.”_ He whispered, gently leaning forward to press the button that would open the door.

 

Sam had been expecting a reaction, obviously.

He just didn’t expect it to be so fast.

As soon as he passed through the sliding doors, the once still Autobots jumped to life. Bumblebee’s engine roared as he sped out of his parking space, and suddenly Sam was no longer in his wheelchair. Warm, familiar leather greeted him as Bumblebee pulled him into his passenger seat. Out of the side view mirror, Sam caught a glimpse of a grinning Lennox being scooped up by Ironhide.

The seatbelts that had pulled him in were now securely wrapped around his body, keeping him pinned to the upholstery. Bumble bee let out a series of various beeps, clicks and whines as he shot down the road. Sam could do nothing but sob and press his face into the seat, trying to be as close as possible to his beloved guardian angel.

 

“Oh God Bee, I missed you so much. I’m so sorry I didn’t call or text you or anyone else, but I couldn’t! My parents dragged me away almost as soon as I got home! They- “

 

He choked, bringing a hand up to the side of his head. More emotions flooded him as he tried to speak, to explain what had happened, only managing to gasp out a few intelligible words before he fell back into a crying fit. Bumblebee keened, wanting to comfort his boy, but being unable to at the moment. Unbeknownst to Sam, the rest of the team could hear what was being said, and they too felt a great sorrow at his sad, broken state.

Part of the seatbelt brushed a cut on his belly, causing Sam to let out a whine. Instantly the belt was retracted, and a low, apologetic rumble was heard. Sam just smashed his face farther into the now heated leather seat, patting it softly. After he took a few deep breaths, he told his story in full. As he explained the part about the metal growing on his hands, Bee fell quiet. He continued, telling him about the car, and then about his parents’ reaction.

 

“I was so scared Bee… why can’t they love me anymore? Why do they look at me like I’m a…” he trailed off, before adding softly, “a monster?”

 

A series of loud voices burst through the radio, causing Sam to jump and flinch, hissing in pain as he did so.

**“I KNEW IT! I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE KEPT THE BOY AT THE BASE! OF COURSE HE WAS AFFECTED, WHY WOULDN’T HE BE-“**

**“BEATEN BY HIS OWN CREATORS! HOW COULD WE LET THIS HAPPEN-“**

**“Oh Sam… I am truly sorry-“**

 

Bumblebee let out a shrill beep to silence his teammates, shutting off his communicator. Slowly, Sam uncurled, his eyes wide. Neither spoke for the rest of the ride.


End file.
